Posted 6:10 PM

Chicken Luddles

I've used the term "Chicken Littles" to refer to those who see technological advances as fostering the end of Society As We Know It, or worse. This is a reference to the children's story about the barnyard denizen who, on being struck on the head by an acorn, believes that the sky is falling and rushes off to tell the king.

I've also used the term "Luddites" for these people. This refers to followers of Ned Ludd who attempted a revolution in England to stop the spread of industrialization. The term has spread to refer to anyone who opposes technical or technological change.

I'll be using a combination of these two terms - Chicken Luddle(s) - to refer to a person or persons whose unwarranted warnings of impending disaster have the effect of thwarting the spread of good and necessary technology. You can use the term, too if you remember (and acknowledge) where it came from.